Source: The Independent
Two teachers at an Islamic school in Birmingham have been jailed for 12 months for “brutally” beating a young boy with a stick.
The 10-year-old victim was repeatedly beaten for offences such as “talking in class” or “failing to read the Koran accurately” at Sparkbrook Islamic Centre in Anderton Road, Birmingham.
Teachers Mohammed Siddique, 60, and his son Mohammed Waqar, 24, admitted wilful cruelty to the boy and were sentenced on Thursday afternoon.
The court had previously heard how the child became so worried about the assaults that he started losing his hair. The teachers beat him with a plastic stick as well as back-handed slaps on four separate occasions.
Judge Mark Wall QC told the pair he had not choice but to give a jail term, saying it would “not be right” to suspend the sentence.
He said: “This is not a case where you each overreacted only once to provocation, neither is it a case in which you misunderstood what constitutes proper punishment and therefore requires some guidance from probation services as to where that boundary lies.
“Added to that, there must be no mistake about the message taken from this case.
“Acts of brutality of this sort which you each indulged in, with a stick, will not be tolerated.”
Sam Forsyth, prosecuting, said the men’s actions came to light when the boy informed a learning mentor at his school. Photographs of his injuries showed “extensive” bruising to the back of his legs.
Categories: Muslim Rights, Secularism, Separation of Church and State, The Muslim Times
We applaud the judge for upholding the basic human rights of the young boy.
In managing their so called ‘internal affairs,’ the Muslim organizations have to be mindful that they cannot trespass the boundaries of human rights, set by the Western countries, otherwise we will keep seeing examples like this defaming the Muslims and Islam.
Islam is a religion of love and compassion and we need to reflect that in all aspects of our lives.
These teachers/parents and uneducated Mullahs are giving bad name to the beautiful teaching of Islam. ” He who is not kind to our younger ones and does not recognize the right of our elders, is not among us”. Hadith Abu-Dawood
Can you teach anything by force?
Physical punishment of children does not produce reform. There is plenty of research in this field. Physical punishment only reflects the frustration and lack of skills of the teacher. So this particular mullah as well as all others should be required to have certification in teaching skills before they can assume such positions. This is a requirement in all schools. Why should the religious schools be exempt from it.